We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The Birmingham Police Department has apprehended five individuals linked to a shooting incident that took place on Thursday evening along the 3200 block of Aspen Avenue.
The BPD reported that the event unfolded at approximately 7:50 p.m., resulting in injuries to three people, among them a teenage boy. Two victims were discovered at the location, while a third was transported to a hospital via a private vehicle.
On the same day as the incident, officers from the West Precinct successfully detained the suspects.
Those arrested have been identified as 19-year-old Kameron Levert, 18-year-old Cameron Arnold, 19-year-old Lequent Mack, 19-year-old Cordaryl Strother, and a 16-year-old male juvenile. The charges they face include two counts of first-degree assault, firing a weapon into an occupied building, and three counts of shooting into an unoccupied vehicle.
The police have indicated that further charges are expected. The suspects are set to be transferred to the Jefferson County Jail.
A bat infected with rabies discovered near a California residential area has led health officials to advise residents to steer clear of wildlife and to seek immediate medical help if they suspect exposure.
On May 26, a bat was located near Palo Verde Common in South Fremont, positioned close to a sidewalk and within easy reach of pedestrians and animals, according to a statement from the Fremont Police Department.
Alameda County Vector Control has confirmed that the bat tested positive for rabies, as announced on Thursday.
The agency is currently investigating the situation but has noted that there are no reported cases of human or animal exposure related to the bat at this time.
WWE OFFICIAL CHARLES ROBINSON DISCLOSES BAT BITE LED TO HOSPITAL VISIT: ‘WHAT A WAY TO START THE DAY’
A bat flies through a forest while hunting for prey.(iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Residents in the area have been notified about the incident and the risks associated with rabies exposure, officials said.
“Rabies is a fatal disease caused by a virus that affects the brain and nervous system,” police said in a news release.
“It is preventable if the exposed person or animal receives a series of rabies vaccine shots as soon as possible after exposure,” the release added.
MICHIGAN MAN DIES OF RABIES AFTER RECEIVING KIDNEY FROM INFECTED DONOR WHO SAVED KITTEN FROM SKUNK: CDC
Common pipistrelle bat perched on a surface.(iStock)
Authorities advised anyone who may have touched or been bitten by the bat to contact the Alameda County Public Health Acute Communicable Disease Program at 510-267-3250 and seek immediate medical attention.
Officials also warned residents to avoid contact with bats and other wild animals that may carry rabies.
Animals commonly associated with rabies include skunks, foxes, coyotes and raccoons.
CALIFORNIA 4-YEAR-OLD BOY SURVIVES ATTACK BY COYOTE THAT BIT AND TRIED TO DRAG HIM AWAY
A 3D illustration shows pink rabies virus microscopic cells against a pink background.(iStock)
“Unvaccinated dogs and cats are considered to be at medium to high risk of contracting and potentially spreading the rabies virus,” police said.
“If you find a sick or dead animal, do not touch it,” the release continued, adding that unusual animal behavior should be reported to Fremont Animal Services or the Alameda County Public Health Department.
Authorities also warned residents not to handle bats found in homes or yards.
Officials recommended several preventative measures, including keeping pets vaccinated against rabies.
Residents are also encouraged to keep pets confined to their property and remove outdoor food sources that may attract wildlife.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Fremont Police Department for an update on the incident.
In a chilling incident that echoes a past tragedy, two women were discovered stabbed to death on Saturday night in Park Slope, at the very address where a murder-suicide took place two years ago, police report.
The New York City Police Department received a distress call at approximately 8 p.m. about an unresponsive woman at 386 2nd Street. Upon their arrival, officers encountered a grim scene: a 59-year-old woman suffering from multiple stab wounds.
As the investigation at the site continued, police found another victim, a 23-year-old woman, also fatally stabbed. Emergency Medical Services declared both women dead at the scene, yet their names are being withheld pending family notifications.
Cops seen entering 386 2nd Street. William Farrington
The circumstances surrounding the killings remain shrouded in mystery, with no immediate clues to the assailant’s identity or any potential motives.
There was no indication of who killed the women or what the motive was.
Fred Fassberger, an illustrator who has been living on the block for 30 years, was coming home from the Shul of New York when he arrived at the scene.
Fassberger described the area as a “very safe street, very quiet.”
“There was a murder here a while ago, and we had a community meeting at the church at the time,” he continued.
“That was the magnitude of an incident like that, that the community wanted to get together and know what was going on.”
386 2nd Street William Farrington
In January 2024, the police found 34-year-olds Olga Kirshenbaum and Jason Jackson dead at 286 2nd Avenue in an apparent murder-suicide.
Both victims had gunshot wounds in the head. A firearm was recovered next to Jackson’s body.
Kirshenbaum was a prominent financial consultant known as “The Money Whisperer.”
Jackson was a cook who was known to neighbors as a polite and kind person.
Latto is now celebrating the arrival of her baby girl, a dream she has long cherished.
In a series of photos shared shortly after fans speculated about her new song “Mama,” the rapper introduced her daughter to the world. This came after fans connected the song’s lyrics to the birth of her first child.
The photos feature Latto proudly standing next to a vintage pink baby carriage, lovingly holding her daughter, who was dressed in an adorable pink ensemble. These visuals confirmed what many fans had already inferred from the lyrics of “Mama.”
In “Mama,” Latto expresses her thoughts on becoming a mother, revealing the joy of welcoming a daughter—a hope she had during her pregnancy.
In one poignant verse, Latto raps, “Now you look just like your daddy, but you got my curls. Can’t believe my life right now, I feel on top of the world. Should’ve seen my face when they told me it’s a baby girl.”
The lyrics quickly caught fans’ attention and sparked conversation online about the baby’s gender. The newly shared photos appear to put any remaining questions to rest.
The reveal serves as a full-circle moment for Latto. Earlier in her pregnancy, she told GloRilla that she was keeping her baby’s gender a surprise until birth but admitted she wanted “a girl so bad.”
“I can see myself with a girl,” Latto shared with GloRilla.
“I’m a girl mom,” she continued. “I don’t wanna watch Transformers. I wanna watch like the Disney princess movies. Yeah. I don’t know what to do with a boy.”
Latto also kept the identity of her baby’s father private throughout much of her pregnancy.
However, after announcing the birth of her child earlier this month, she confirmed that 21 Savage is the father in a video chronicling her pregnancy journey.
Shortly after sharing the clip, which included moments from throughout her pregnancy and footage of the pair together at their baby shower, 21 Savage posted a newborn photo on Instagram.
The image showed their baby, whose face was cropped out of the frame, lying on a cream-colored blanket while wearing a white Arsenal onesie.
Tiantian’s journey to Australia in 2015 was marked by a certain awareness of Aboriginal culture and the ongoing dialogue around reconciliation. However, she soon discovered there were many aspects she was unaware of.
“When I first arrived, I overheard conversations among backpackers concerning First Nations people. It wasn’t until I pursued social work studies that I recognized those comments as discriminatory,” Tiantian recalled.
She reflected, “I don’t believe there was any malice intended, but much of what was said stemmed from a lack of understanding of Australia’s historical context.”
Initially, Tiantian admitted she had only a superficial knowledge of her university’s National Reconciliation Week (NRW) event. This annual event focuses on healing and truth-telling for First Nations peoples.
“I initially thought NRW was akin to NAIDOC Week,” Tiantian, who opts to go by her first name, shared with SBS News. NAIDOC Week, celebrated annually in July, is a time for First Nations communities to honor their rich culture and achievements.
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But when she became a social worker in Cairns, she made friends with her First Nations colleagues and engaged with local First Nations communities. Her understanding of NRW has significantly expanded.
This year, she decided to actively engage with NRW by sharing Chinese-language materials about it on her social media.
Tiantian has tried catching mud crabs by applying techniques from First Nations community, with the helpf of a Kuku Yalanji guide. Source: Supplied / Tiantian
Tiantian’s sharing was paid back. Many of her Chinese friends also shared their involvement with the NRW to her. “I feel we have more people practising and engaging with the NRW theme this year, which is ‘All In’,” she said.
Under the theme that encourages everyone to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation, Reconciliation Australia, which led the itinerary of the annual event, provided translated posters and resources of 13 languages to encourage members of multilingual communities to go all in and learn about
However, even passionate volunteers like Tiantian have found that despite the help of translated materials, it could still be challenging for them to hold conversations about First Nations culture in their mother tongues.
Lost in translation?
For Tiantian, who speaks fluent English, the main source for her to learn about First Nations history and culture was through English channels. “Sometimes it takes time for me to express what I learned [in English] in Chinese, because I want to ensure my translation to Chinese is accurate,” she said.
One word that challenged Tiantian was “reconciliation”, which translates literally into Chinese as “making peace”. She came across the word during an NRW event where was told about significant history events for the First Nations community, including the 1967 referendum and the Stolen Generation policy.
On her social media, Tiantian said the event had helped her understand the term reconciliation deeper.
“I was impressed that reconciliation was officially defined as ‘strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians’,” she said.
“But if we try to understand this definition, we need to confront the other side of the colonial history of Australia, that for First Nations people, that was a history of land grabbing, violence, systemic discrimination and cultural damage.”
Such a challenge of understanding First Nations content in English and then translating it to other non-First Nations languages could also be faced by professional translators, according to Professor Jing Han at Western Sydney University.
Han, who translated First Nations author Melissa Lucashenko’s fiction Too Much Lip from English to Chinese, recalled that when translating the 2019 Miles Franklin Award winning novel, she often had to pause to ponder words that contained deep historical and cultural contexts.
“History, culture, language literature, political affairs and all sorts that are related to the First Nations [community], a lot of terms are historically embedded, and it’s not a straightforward literary translation at all,” she told SBS News.
“It’s not just about translation. You do need to dig in what is missing because one fundamental thing about translation is there is no equivalence between languages,” she said. “It needs to be embedded in contextual information.”
During the Voice Referendum in 2023, the federal government had to revise the Chinese translation of the referendum question, after some members of the Chinese community raised concerns that the government adopted a literary translation of the term “First Nations”, and that could imply ranking among different ethnicities.
Han said translation like this may lead to misinformation about the First Nations community. “Translators must know Australia’s history, Indigenous history and politics [with] in-depth knowledge to be able to do the job properly.”
Call for national body on translation for First Nations content
Besides translated materials, Han said it’s also important to have community events throughout the year to help multicultural communities to learn about First Nations history.
Han said there should be an official body that oversees translations of First Nations-related terms and content to ensure they are consistent.
“People take for granted that there is equivalence [between languages], that humans or machines can do [translations] easily, that’s not true,” she said.
“Translation is all about negotiation, because there’s no equivalence between languages, let alone historically loaded terms.”
Tiantian said she supported the theme of “All In” for the NRW this year. “Everyone living in Australia can take action and contribute to reconciliation,” she said.
In a statement to SBS News, Reconciliation Australia said it was the fourth year of the organisation to provide multilingual resources for communities.
“Reconciliation Australia has developed a partnership with leading multicultural communications agency Cultural Perspectives to connect with linguistically and culturally diverse communities directly and drive engagement and grow understanding of reconciliation amongst these communities,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
A 2024 survey by the organisation found 90 per cent of multicultural Australians think the relationship between First Nations and non-Indigenous people is important.
“We want to lift our engagement with non-Anglo Australians and ensure multicultural communities are well informed and able to take their places in the national reconciliation movement.” the spokesperson said.
Efforts are reportedly underway by representatives from Wendell Sailor’s former NRL teams to arrange for the rugby legend to receive care at a mental health facility. This follows concerning incidents at a recent State of Origin event.
The 51-year-old former Wallabies player appeared as a guest speaker at the first-ever Gold Coast State of Origin Lunch, held at the Sheraton Grand Mirage on May 22.
According to News Corp, Sailor alarmed attendees with his behavior, which included incoherent speech, difficulty maintaining conversations, and unpredictable mood swings and angry outbursts.
One attendee described witnessing Sailor’s actions as “uncomfortable and extremely sad,” highlighting the depth of concern among those present.
Sailor is expected to attend Sunday’s game at Suncorp Stadium and has reportedly agreed to receive assistance, as he currently lacks the financial means to cover the cost of treatment himself.
Wendell Sailor (pictured outside court on March 23) displayed deeply concerning behaviour at a State of Origin event, it has been reported
The former Broncos, Dragons and Wallabies star was ‘at times incoherent and unable to hold a conversation’ at the Inaugural Gold Coast State of Origin Lunch at the Sheraton Grand Mirage on May 22
Sailor (pictured running the ball for Brisbane in 2001) became a cross-code legend during his dazzling playing career
‘Some people were so concerned about the behaviour they feared he would either end up in jail or dead,’ one club representative told the publication.
‘It seems he won’t get the help he needs unless he’s at rock bottom.
‘This seems like his rock bottom.’
A person close to Sailor said he is flat broke, it was reported.
In March, Sailor had a number of criminal charges dismissed under mental health legislation – but was warned by a magistrate he must stay out of trouble.
The 51-year-old had pleaded guilty to three charges, including resisting arrest, breaching bail and intimidating police.
Sailor admitted to resisting arrest after a night of drinking at the Illawarra Master Builders Club in Wollongong on the NSW south coast on December 5 last year, court documents revealed.
It took nine officers to get the one-time dual international inside a custody area at a nearby police station, with court documents revealing Sailor acted ‘aggressively’ and ‘abused police repeatedly’.
Representatives from the Broncos and Dragons are trying to arrange for Sailor (pictured) to be treated in a mental health facility after the worrying appearance, it has been reported
Sailor (pictured with wife Tara) had a number of criminal charges dismissed under mental health legislation in March
At the time, Sailor was on bail following an incident at Pappy’s Bar in Sydney’s CBD in November 2024, during which the winger became ‘aggressive and agitated’.
‘F**king call the cops and see what happens. Do you know who I am? You’re f**king done,’ Sailor shouted at the bar manager when asked to leave the venue.
Sailor was cleared of all charges relating to the Wollongong incident after magistrate Jennifer Atkinson found his issues with alcohol, which sparked both incidents, were related to his mental health struggles.
The Broncos great has been on medication for several months to treat both depression and alcoholism, the magistrate revealed.
He will now carry out a treatment plan with his GP to address his mental health and alcohol issues.
Last December, the former Triple M identity was charged after police received reports that he was yelling and standing in the middle of a busy Wollongong road at around 11pm.
Sailor spent the night behind bars after being arrested and charged with allegedly breaching bail, obstructing traffic and resisting arrest.
Daily Mail understands Sailor is separating from his wife of almost 30 years.
The man affectionately known as ‘Dell’ represented Australia in both rugby codes, and was the top try-scorer when the Kangaroos won the Rugby League World Cup in 2000.
Sailor also made 37 appearances for the Wallabies, including starting in the 2003 World Cup final against England.
He finished his NRL career in 2009 after nine seasons with the Broncos – where he won four premierships – and two seasons with the Dragons.
Morgan Wallen left fans both surprised and stunned during his concert in Denver on Friday, where he unexpectedly flipped a piano on stage. The country music star, aged 33, was performing at the Empower Field stadium as part of his Still The Problem Tour when the incident unfolded.
As Wallen passionately delivered the lyrics to his hit “Sand In My Boots,” he suddenly pushed the piano, causing it to topple forward and break into pieces. The dramatic gesture left audience members at the venue gasping in disbelief.
However, in a viral video on social media, the Whiskey Glasses hitmaker experienced technical issues with his piano.
Choosing not to miss a beat, Wallen continued the performance without musical accompaniment, singing the rest of the song a cappella. His impromptu decision to abandon the instrument and engage directly with the crowd added an unexpected twist to the evening’s entertainment.
The spontaneous display of emotion from the singer certainly made for a memorable night, leaving fans buzzing about the unexpected turn of events.
Some attendees inside the stadium let out audible gasps as the piano and bench flipped over.
Morgan Wallen, 33, suffered a shocking onstage meltdown as he dramatically flipped a piano during his concert on Friday in Denver; seen in April in Nashville
Fans had mixed reaction in regards to the onstage incident and shared their thoughts in the comment section of the clip on Instagram.
One penned, ‘Flip it again. HE DONT NEED NO PIANO. He CAN sing!’ while another typed, ‘So cool. So brave.’
‘Rockstars break instruments on stage all the time. Smashing guitars and stuff. Go off, Morgan!’ a social media said in his defense.
‘He’s still the problem,’ one shared with a laughing face emoji, seemingly referring to the name of his current tour.
Another joked, ‘Me in the morning when my coffee won’t brew quick enough,’ and an Instagram user added, ‘Me when my kitchen aide isn’t mixing how it should be.’
‘I love his music but come on. Glad he didn’t hit anyone with it. Geez. that’s professional and mature,’ one commented.
A fan also wrote, ‘Paying to have your instruments professionally set up and they don’t work is a valid crash out.’
‘Stop and think many people would love o have that piano,’ another said, while one penned, ‘lol embarrassing.’
However, in a viral video on social media, the Whiskey Glasses hitmaker experienced technical issues with his piano; seen in 2025 in Nashville
Fans had mixed reaction in regards to the onstage incident and shared their thoughts in the comment section of the clip on Instagram
Wallen began his Still The Problem Tour with two nights in Minneapolis and is set to take to the stage once again on June 5 in Pittsburgh.
The singer is scheduled to stop by other cities such as Chicago, Baltimore and also Ann Arbor.
The tour will conclude later this summer with two nights beginning on July 31 in Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field.
The concerts are in support of Wallen’s fourth studio album titled I’m The Problem which dropped last year on May 16.
Two years earlier, the country star was enwrapped in controversy after he was arrested for throwing a chair off a bar rooftop in Nashville.
He initially faced three felony counts of reckless endangerment as well as one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.
However, he later pled guilty to two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment.
The music artist also agreed to serve seven days in a DUI center, paid a $350 fine, and two years probation.
The concerts are in support of Wallen’s fourth studio album titled I’m The Problem which dropped last year on May 16
Two years earlier, the country star was enwrapped in controversy after he was arrested for throwing a chair off a bar rooftop in Nashville; Wallen’s April 2024 mugshot seen above
Wallen had allegedly been upset by his ex Katie ‘KT’ Smith eloping with Luke Scornavacco with a source previously telling the Daily Mail: ‘KT’s marriage to Luke last week just crushed him.’
Wallen and Smith had an on-and-off relationship until 2019 and their son Indigo was born the following year.
The singer had also issued a statement shortly after the incident took place and wrote, ‘I didn’t feel right public checking in until I made amends with some folks.’
He explained that he also reached out to ‘the good people’ at fellow singer Eric Church’s bar.
‘I’ve touched base with Nashville law enforcement, my family, and the good people at Chief’s. I’m not proud of my behavior, and I accept responsibility.’
Wallen began his career in the music industry after he competed on The Voice in 2014 and was eliminated in the playoffs.
Wallen began his career in the music industry after he competed on The Voice in 2014 and was eliminated in the playoffs
Wallen has also released more albums including Dangerous: The Double Album (2021) and One Thing At A Time (2023); seen in Nashville in 2023
He dropped two EPs Stand Alone (2015) and The Way I Talk (2016) before signing to entertainment company Big Loud.
The star’s debut studio album If I Know Me (2018) reached the number one spot on the U.S. Top Country Albums chart.
Wallen has also released more albums including Dangerous: The Double Album (2021) and One Thing At A Time (2023).
He has garnered two Grammy nominations and recently won Best Male Country Artist at the 2026 American Music Awards earlier this month.
Meghan Markle pictured with her father Thomas before the rift (Image: -)
Meghan Markle’s estranged father Thomas has told friends he is ready to marry again at the age of 81, according to a close family source. He has fallen in love with Filipino nurse Rio Caneda, who at 46 is 35 years his junior and just two years older than the Duchess of Sussex, who would become her step-daughter if they tie the knot.
Thomas Markle, the estranged father of Meghan Markle, is reportedly considering a new chapter in his life by remarrying at the age of 81. According to a close family source, Thomas has found love with Rio Caneda, a 46-year-old Filipino nurse, who is just slightly older than the Duchess of Sussex herself. Should they wed, Rio would become Meghan’s stepmother.
“Thomas is overjoyed at the prospect of marrying Rio,” shared the source. “He’s been telling family members that he’s happier now than he ever thought possible, eager to spend the rest of his days with her.”
The pair crossed paths at a rehabilitation hospital in Cebu City, Philippines, where Thomas was recovering following critical surgery last December. The procedure involved the removal of his left leg below the knee, a life-saving measure that brought them together.
In an interview from a couple of months ago, Thomas expressed his newfound happiness, stating that he felt “blessed and beyond happy” to have discovered joy in Rio’s company. This comes after enduring years of health struggles and the heartbreak of being estranged from his daughter Meghan since shortly before her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.
Now Mr Markle, who moved to Cebu with his son Tom Jnr, 59, last year, is back in America where he will be fitted with a state-of-the-art prosthetic limb and spend time with his other daughter, Meghan’s half-sister Samantha, 61.
Tom Jnr and Samantha are the children of Mr Markle’s first marriage to secretary Roslyn Loveless, which ended in divorce in 1975. Meghan’s mother is his second wife, Doria Ragland.
They were divorced after eight years in 1987, when the future Duchess of Sussex was six, sharing custody until she went to university prior to pursuing a Hollywood acting career.
In his joint interview with new love Rio, Mr Markle said of Meghan: “I still don’t know why she ghosted me.”
To this day, he has never met his son-in-law Prince Harry, her husband of eight years, or his grandchildren Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, who turns five on Tuesday.
Thomas Markle appearing in a TV interview (Image: GBNews )
Thomas accused Meghan or ghosting him before the roya wedding with Prince Harry (Image: Getty)
But he insisted: “I was in pain for so many years about what happened with my youngest daughter Meghan. I’m finally at peace. I am enjoying my life. I don’t care what people think any more.
“I’m an old man and never thought I would be alive at nearly 82. What happened with Rio happened naturally. We got close and she ended up moving in with me.
“It’s a relationship I treasure. She makes me very happy and takes very good care of me. I hope I make her happy too.”
According to our source, Mr Markle has given no indication yet as to where he and Rio might tie the knot – in the US or back in the Philippines, where he has said he “loves” living and is “enjoying life.”
The source added: “He still has a recovery stretch to navigate with at least a few months in America, where he’s been face-timing Rio almost every day.
“He says he’d also love her to be able to see America sometime, so I think there’s a way to go before we hear wedding bells. But from everything he’s been saying, the sound of those bells is very much on his mind and it’s pretty clear she loves him to bits too.”
A man is currently at large following a series of violent incidents, including a car crash into a residence and the subsequent stabbing of a woman, occurring mere hours after allegedly stabbing another individual.
The suspect reportedly drove a silver Honda CRV into a home located in Dandenong North at approximately 10:15 a.m. After the crash, he allegedly exited the vehicle and attacked a female resident with a knife.
The assailant then fled the scene on foot. Emergency medical personnel attended to the injured woman before transporting her to the hospital, where she is being treated for injuries that are not considered life-threatening.
Earlier that morning, police suspect the same individual was involved in another stabbing incident in Epping. At around 7:30 a.m., he allegedly assaulted a man with a knife.
The male victim, in his 40s, was transported to Royal Melbourne Hospital with upper body injuries. According to Ambulance Victoria, his condition is stable, and the injuries are not life-threatening.
The male in his 40s from Epping was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital with injuries to his upper body, according to Ambulance Victoria, but his injuries are not life-threatening.
Police believe both incidents were targeted, and that the alleged offender knew both of his victims.
The man on the run is, last seen dressed in a brown shirt and black pants.
If people spot him they are urged not to approach him, but to contact Triple Zero.
Michael Jackson harbored a deep admiration for Elvis Presley, a sentiment that extended beyond mere fandom. His connection to Presley grew more personal through his marriage to Lisa Marie Presley in 1994. During their time together, Jackson confided in her about his fear of meeting a fate similar to that of her father, Elvis. Lisa Marie later recounted that Jackson seemed almost resigned to this possibility.
Michael Jackson feared he would die in a similar way to Elvis
Jackson’s sudden demise in 2009 due to cardiac arrest from an overdose eerily mirrored the circumstances surrounding Elvis’s death. This tragic event brought back memories for Lisa Marie of a profound conversation during their marriage, where Jackson expressed his apprehension about ending up like Elvis, who also succumbed to cardiac arrest caused by an overdose.
Reflecting on those moments, Lisa Marie shared on MySpace (as noted by Oprah.com) that she and Jackson once delved into a deep discussion about life. She couldn’t remember all the details, but Jackson’s intense gaze and solemn words left a lasting impression. He confessed his worry, saying, “I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did.”
Lisa Marie noted that Jackson appeared unwavering in his belief that this was his destiny.
“I tried to dissuade him from this notion,” she explained, “but he merely shrugged, acknowledging what he believed to be an inevitable truth.” Years later, as she watched the news coverage of Jackson’s passing—scenes reminiscent of Elvis’s own departure—those memories resurfaced powerfully. The sight of the ambulance, the throngs of people at the gates, and the unfolding narrative of his death left her overwhelmed with emotion.
“I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that,” she wrote. “14 years later I am sitting here watching on the news an ambulance leaves the driveway of his home, the big gates, the crowds outside the gates, the coverage, the crowds outside the hospital, the Cause of death and what may have led up to it and the memory of this conversation hit me, as did the unstoppable tears.”
Lisa Marie said she wanted to protect him
Lisa Marie said that during their marriage, she wanted to protect Jackson.
“I wanted to ‘save him.’ I wanted to save him from the inevitable which is what has just happened,” she wrote. “His family and his loved ones also wanted to save him from this as well but didn’t know how and this was 14 years ago. We all worried that this would be the outcome then. At that time, In trying to save him, I almost lost myself.”
She said that this began to wear on her emotionally and physically.
“I became very ill and emotionally/ spiritually exhausted in my quest to save him from certain self-destructive behavior and from the awful vampires and leeches he would always manage to magnetize around him,” she wrote. “I was in over my head while trying.”
She said that this led to the end of their marriage.
Priscilla Presley worried about Michael Jackson’s love of Elvis
Jackson’s love of Elvis concerned Lisa Marie’s mother, Priscilla. She believed he was manipulative.
“Lisa had first met him in Las Vegas as a child and reconnected years later,” she wrote in her book Softly, as I Leave You. “He was ten years older than she was, the same age difference there had been between Elvis and me. Michael had started reaching out to her when the child abuse charges went public. I think that’s how he hooked her in the beginning. She felt very sorry for him, and naturally, she believed in his innocence.”
Priscilla said that by the time Lisa Marie decided to end the marriage, she began to think Jackson was with her for her family name.
“Finally, she’d had enough,” Priscilla wrote. “She called me to tell me she wanted a divorce. She had begun to feel like the marriage was a setup. He didn’t want to be with her; he wanted to be with Elvis Presley’s daughter. If he’d wanted to be with her, he wouldn’t have been gone for most of their marriage.”
